Rating: ***
Alternate Title: Semi-Gods And Semi-Devils
Cast: Brigitte Lin, Gong Li, Cheung Man, Tsui Siu Keung (Norman Chu)
A gorgeous fantasy piece full of magic, super-human martial arts, state of the art special effects, and feminine sensuality. The sets and costumes are marvelous and the cinematography takes great advantage of them. Gong Li is seductively alluring, Brigitte Lin is seductively bitchy, and Cheung Man is enchantingly cute and lively. It's delightful to watch all of them fight, fly around, and pose. This movie is what Tsui Hark's "Zu, Warriors From The Magic Mountain" (1983) could have been if the money and technology had been available.
Notes on the limited edition Blu-ray:
Unfortunately, the Blu-ray is a disappointment and not worth bothering with. The
picture is soft, the colors are desaturated, the brightness is cranked up, and the
new Mandarin dub ruins the original performance and is significantly out of sync.
It's better to stick with the original DVD or laserdisc.